Traveling with a Laptop

[68820]

Ted and Greg, thanks for the information about the Netbooks and amazing prices in HDs (especially for PC/Linux users). I'd contemplated a SSHD for my new MacBook Pro but Apple isn't exactly known for it's deep discounts and it's base offerings are a mere 128 or 256GB (so Serial ATA for me).

I know what you mean about Apple discounts. That's why I shop places like Newegg and Other World Computing for Mac stuff. Depending on the MacBook you have, a hard drive installation is a breeze. You could probably get by with the 13.3" MacBook instead of the more expensive 15.4" model. Just get a video adapter and run a second monitor for the Adobe CS apps. Oh yeah, max out the RAM. That will help with Photoshop, InDesign, etc.

If you're just doing email, web, and simple docs, a netbook looks like the best option. Some will even run Leopard. BoingBoing has a great chart with info on what works. The Dell Mini 9 and Lenovo S10 look to be the best bets to run OSX.

[reimerdavid]

Has anyone traveled with the newer Netbooks out, they seam perfect for checking email while on the road and advertise long battery life ?

[TED]

Just make sure you get one with a 6-cell or 9-cell battery - the 3-cell batteries coming with the really low-priced ones don't last very long.

[GREGFEELER]

Has anyone traveled with the newer Netbooks out, they seam perfect for checking email while on the road and advertise long battery life ?

I've traveled some with an Acer Aspire One with both the 3-cell and 6-cell batteries. The 3-cell lasts about 2.5 hours and the 6-cell about 5 to 5.5hrs - but that depends a lot on usage. It's small, seems durable, boots fast (resits the temptation to install a bunch of crap - just necessary applications), and packs easily. This will be my travel notebook on my rides this summer.

[Holly]

I have booked off for this weekend since we are just finishing a course and I know there won't be a connection at the fairgrounds. Things are really busy in July, though, and there will be no relief for me. I know I'm covered at the MOA National. Anyone know if the RA rally has WIFI? I'm gonna hate it if I have to spend most of my days there riding to the nearest internet cafe.

Holly

[richardak]

I have one of the Dell Mini-9 hackintosh netbooks with a 32GB SSD and 2GB RAM. it has a 4 cell battery and it lasts for about 3 1/2 hours with the wireless on. If I turn down the display and not use the wireless, I get an additional hour. I have stopped taking my Macbook Pro on trips as it weighs only 2.2 pounds and does everything I need, has plenty of speed and no hard drive to worry about.

[Rob Nye]

I have booked off for this weekend since we are just finishing a course and I know there won't be a connection at the fairgrounds. Things are really busy in July, though, and there will be no relief for me. I know I'm covered at the MOA National. Anyone know if the RA rally has WIFI? I'm gonna hate it if I have to spend most of my days there riding to the nearest internet cafe.

Holly

No wireless at the National?

[Holly]

Lots of wireless at the MOA national. I'm wondering about the RA.

Holly

[sundaeman]

Jonathan, I had a 17" MacBook Pro that I hauled around vertically for about 5k miles or so in a Spire Dart sleeve. Backed up CF cards to it and and had a few 1.5TB FireWire arrays for the desk. Had the full CS3 suite and Aperture on it, maxed out the memory (after market). Only problem I ever had with it was someone stole it from the house.

Had other vehicles w/running laptops over the years. One laptop (older ThinkPad) with over 50k miles on it that was replaced for a Dell w/a bigger screen. The ThinkPad was one tough little machine.

[braddog]

I use a leather courier style briefcase with a padded sleeve built specifically to transport a laptop. On the old airhead hardcases, this bag fits perfectly standing up, and strapped in with the internal elastic bands. I've used this arrange for commuting for the past 5 or 6 years with NO issues. The laptop is vertical, as Rob mentioned, and often is left in "standby" mode. Never had a problem.

Also, as Rob has suggested, the case in the pic looks exactly like what you'd need.

As far as traveling for pleaseure with a laptop on a motorcycle, I don't. People who need to contact me can do so via cell phone. As far as work is concerned, I'm on vacation, so they'll have to wait. Same with e-mail.

[rbertalotto]

A little "Farkle" I built for hauling around my laptop.........











It's totally removable with a Touratech locking rear box mount. Can be taken to the tent or a picnic table is needed.
With the aux battery and the laptop's internal battery I can get 4-5 hours of use.
The solar panel will recharge the aux battery or the bikes battery, depending on the position of the "battery switch".
With the bike underway, the bikes alternator is hooked up to a "Automatic Battery Selector", this device monitors both batteries and sends a charge to the one with less that 12.5 volts.

I also have a 115V inverter (for the blender for the nights Margaritas) and a "AA" battery charger for a fresh supply of AA batteries for cameras, flashlights, radios etc........

More here:
http://public.fotki.com/Rbertalotto/...mputer-system/

[martinph]

Bumping this thread as its nearly a year old.
Any one tried the new Netbooks? Carried them on the bike? What should I be looking for?
Please keep it simple!

[GREGFEELER]

Bumping this thread as its nearly a year old.
Any one tried the new Netbooks? Carried them on the bike? What should I be looking for?
Please keep it simple!

I've been using an Acer Aspire One D250 series netbook for almost a year and flat out love it. The screen is a bit bigger than the earlier 150 (?) series netbooks, I can put 2Gb of RAM (more than plenty for WinXP), it has a 160Gb hard drive, and the larger batter will last for 5.5 to 7 hours. The Acers also seem very well built and the small size is easy to pack.

Netbooks are not big, powerful machines. They are great for web browsing, email , word processing, basic spreadsheets, some PowerPoint, etc. Don't try to build the Space Shuttle on one.

I haven't tried Windows7 Starter Edition - which is what most netbooks are shipping with now, but it is limited compared to even the Home version of Windows 7. I use Win7 on other machines, but find that XP is just fine on my netbook.

[martinph]

Thanks Greg,
Thats just what I was looking for.

[lilredroadster]

I have an Asus EEE1000HE 160 gig hd 10.2" screen upgraded to 2 gigs Ram.
I bought a Targus case that holds all I need including a portable CD/DVD drive.
It is faster than the laptop I use as a work and home pc. It fits is my side case and if there is Wi Fi I can use my comouter at a rally. In Tennessee, on the hill in the camp area there was no WI FI so I had to walk down to the main area.
I have been extremely satisfied with this little camputer and do recommend getting one.
PS Mine has Windows XP and the newer ones have Windows 7.
It is similar to Greg's Acer. Mine can run about 10 hrs on the battery mode.